Culture war will focus on Alito, may knock him out

WASHINGTON -- GW Bush stooped to serve the radical right by picking a solid 'conservative' catholic white man from Jersey, Samuel A. Alito Jr., to replace outgoing moderate Justice Sandra Day O'Connor on the US Supreme Court.

After the crash of Harriet Miers, an epic battle is predicted over Alito -- nicknamed 'Scalito' due to his similarity to ultra-conservative Justice A. Scalia. Zany christian televangelist Pat Robertson is praising Alito, hardly a good sign to moderates. We don't need zealots on the Supreme Court.

Alito is smart and tough, but he'll have a challenge in the Senate, especially because some Senators understandibly wanted a moderate woman nominated.

Look for this debate to mirror the divides of today's American society. But in the end it'll come down to rich v. everyone else.

At least Alito seems likely to support citizens' right to bear arms, so if he's confirmed we may still be able put up some kind of fight when corporations try to totally take over. I hope it never comes to that.

If this process drags on, and there's a good chance it will, O'Connor may have to cancel her UA law class she is supposed to teach this winter. That's OK, Sandra, stay on the court as long as you can and we'll wait to hear you lecture. How about withdrawing your retirement announcement until at least 2009?